How To Achieve A Fair And Sustainable Economic Recovery

The world's recovery must be based on two values: fairness and sustainability. No one should be left behind, and economic revival cannot be at the cost of our planet.

If there is one thing that this pandemic should have taught us, it is the power of collaboration. It has taken an unprecedented global effort to identify and develop treatments, medications, and vaccines to fight the pandemic. Now governments, businesses, NGOs, and communities must join once again and forge a path to the future with sustainability at its core.

This is no easy task, as the recent COP26 conference in Glasgow has demonstrated. Climate change has placed commercial and political interests under the microscope and revealed more than a few uncomfortable truths in the process.

Sustainable recovery

The power of global trade is one of the best tools to reduce poverty by building prosperity. Importantly, however, cross-sector and public-private partnerships are critical to ensure that the economic recovery from this pandemic reaches the hardest-hit people and communities.

Through it all, sustainability cannot fall between the cracks. This became abundantly clear to me when I attended the recent COP26 discussions. I also had the honour to meet the winners of the Earthshot prize, which DP World proudly supports. It is an important initiative that rewards innovative people, organisations, and countries that lead the way in repairing our planet.

Speaking with the award's patron, HRH Prince William, left me feeling inspired and filled with a sense of optimism for the future. Thanks to initiatives such as these, I am confident that our world can tackle the challenges ahead by working together.

Closing the trust gap

Today, businesses are amongst the most trusted institutions globally; employees and civil society expect business leaders to drive, develop, and deliver innovative solutions to create a better and fairer world. However, when it comes to issues such as climate change, the public expects governments to take the lead, but neither can solve the challenges by themselves.

Businesses and governments worldwide must look in the mirror with honesty and openness, identify the trust gaps, understand why they exist and work to close them – not by words but by actions.

World Economic Forum: a platform for change

For that, we need platforms like the World Economic Forum, which has been a vital place for dialogue and a catalyst for meaningful change for many years. Despite the necessary deferral of its Annual Meeting in Davos, all of us – in business, government, and civil society – must leverage this platform to develop actionable strategies and practical solutions to today's challenges.

Businesses, each with their specialisms and areas of expertise, have a vital role to play. DP World, for example, possesses substantial knowledge in global logistics; that is why we have partnered with UNICEF to help distribute critical supplies to the countries and people that need them to combat this pandemic. The partnership arose from a dialogue born out of the World Economic Forum.

As the Forum expands its platform, with sessions around the world, it exposes more people to these substantive discussions, leveraging the strengths of this platform. Moreover, it drives the agenda through sessions with Professor Klaus Schwab, whom I recently had the honour to host in the DP World Flow Pavilion at EXPO 2020.

Now is the time for action

Ultimately, history will judge us all for our role in addressing these critical issues. For a world that is not just rebuilt but built better.

I call on governments and businesses to contribute their strengths and join in creating and accelerating innovative solutions that will not only help society but protect our planet – for this generation and the next.

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Article originally published on weforum.org